Short term membership can be granted if no proof of address is available. Short term membership is designed for travellers. Membership expires after 3 months from the date of issue.

Cardless

No ID required

Cardless members must have a Victorian address. The processing of a Cardless membership may take up to two weeks. Access to eBooks and eAudiobooks will only become available once the Cardless membership is fully processed.

Under 18

Acceptable forms of ID:

Signed permission form by parent/guardian
PLUS
ID for parent/guardian as for adult membership *
PLUS
ID with child’s name: Medicare card, School card, Health card, Birth certificate or anything with Child’s name.

Guardian means: “In relation to an person under the age of 18 years, as set out in the Children's Services Act 1996, the legal guardian of the child or the person who has the custody or control of the child but does not include a person providing children's services to a child.”

*If joining without parent/guardian present, parent/guardian ID must have signature on it which matches permission form.
Photocopy of ID is acceptable.
Melbourne Library Service recommends the email address and phone number provided on the online membership application are those of the parent/guardian.

Under 18 Membership Consent Form This link opens in a new browser window

Under 18 Independent

Acceptable forms of ID:

ID as for adult membership.

Centrelink issued health benefit card should/can be produced as evidence of independent living.

This is for people aged between 16-18 years and living independently.

Under 18 International Student

Acceptable forms of ID:

Under 18 membership form (signed by guardian) with guardian ID (as per under 18 membership) *
OR
Passport with Australian student visa and letter from academic institution showing current address

*International students under 18 when applying for their Australian student visa need to provide the Department of Immigration evidence that acceptable arrangement for their accommodation, support and general welfare are in place. Therefore the person registered with the Department of Immigration as being responsible for the students welfare is required to sign the under 18s membership form.

CAE – Accredited student

Acceptable forms of ID:

Valid CAE student card

Under 18 CAE students have already received parental permission. They do not require MLS Under 18 permission form.
No proof of address is required as it has already been verified at CAE.

CAE – Non-accredited student

Acceptable forms of ID:

As for adult membership

CAE – Teacher

Acceptable forms of ID:

As for adult membership
PLUS
CAE staff badge (first name)

Available for full-time, part-time and sessional teachers at CAE.

Organisational

Acceptable forms of ID:

MLS Organisational membership application form signed by principle or manager of organisation,
PLUS
Staff ID card OR certification of employment in the form of a letter from the organisation’s HR department on letterhead which includes the ABN number.

Organisations, including schools, kindergartens and childcare centres, based within the City of Melbourne are eligible for organisational membership(s).
Normal adult membership rights apply (including fines and loan limits).
Membership expires 1st December each year.

Organisational Membership Form This link opens in a new browser window

CoM Staff

Acceptable forms of ID:

City of Melbourne Security Pass / ID card

Home Library

Acceptable forms of ID:

Referral from medical practitioner.

Home delivery service for housebound patrons.

Terms and conditions

The terms and conditions that you agree to when joining are:

I agree to abide by all Melbourne Library Service’s policies and conditions of use and

accept responsibility for all items borrowed on my card and pay replacement costs plus processing charges for any items lost, stolen or damaged
report lost/stolen cards to Melbourne Library Service immediately
return items on or before the due date or check whether the item can be renewed
agree to pay overdue fees if items are returned after the due date
respect the rights and security of staff and other library users
notify the Melbourne Library Service of any changes to contact details provided

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if my contact details change?

You can update your address details online by logging in with your membership and PIN and choosing 'Account Management' or you can contact us to update your details. Let us know as soon as possible so that we can update your records.

What should I do if I lose my card?

Report the loss by phone or in person. You are responsible for materials taken out with your card until the card is reported lost or stolen. To replace a card, there is a charge and you must bring identification with your name and current address before we can issue a new card.

How does the library contact me about reservations and overdue items?

Email: If an email address is supplied, overdue and reservation notices will be emailed to you.
SMS: If you have a mobile phone, you can receive SMS reservation notification. To receive SMS notifications you must provide a mobile phone number in when you join the library.
Mail: In cases where neither an email address or phone number is given, a notice will be sent in the mail. We will also try to contact you via mail if we have been unsuccessful in delivery via email or phone.